


A Beacon In The Dark

by optimusfin3, thefandombeckons



Category: Star Trek
Genre: Angst, Bad Science, Flashbacks, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Improper Use of Medical Equipment, Minor injury mentions, Nightmares, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, off screen mass genocide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-23 12:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20008204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/optimusfin3/pseuds/optimusfin3, https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefandombeckons/pseuds/thefandombeckons
Summary: Dead planets, blue alien children, and shenanigans, oh my! This is the crew of the Starship Enterprise. Join them on their mission to find out just what, exactly, happened to Harec, the only known survivor of a planet they found in pieces.





	1. Chapter 1

“Captain on the bridge!” A voice rang out, every single head lifting in response to watch Kirk enter and sit down with an air of confidence as he crossed one leg over the other.

“Captain, we’ve picked up a distress signal from the nearby planet of Rinus.” Uhura called from her station, before focusing back on her work of tracking the signal as Kirk’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Has medbay been notified?”

“Yes, sir. Doctor McCoy is standing by for instructions.” Chekov answered, before Kirk turned his attention to the helmsman.

“Mr. Sulu, set course for Rinus.” He ordered, watching as the man nodded and flipped a switch before sending the Enterprise into Warp Speed towards the planet.

When they dropped out of warp, they came across complete and utter destruction. The shields were put up as a precaution as they scanned the torn and tattered ships around them.

“Lieutenant Uhura, scan the planet for any signs of survivors.” Kirk said quietly, his gaze focused on the destruction outside their window.

“Three signs of life, captain, but all rapidly fading.” She relayed, and he stood up as he surveyed the bridge.

“Mr. Spock, Lieutenant Uhura, come with me, we’re going to the surface. Mr. Sulu, you have the conn.” He announced, the three leaving as Sulu took his seat in the captain’s chair, sending a message to the medbay to be ready for casualties.

When they beamed down to the planet, Kirk could barely contain the shock at what he saw. Uhura had to restrain herself from placing a hand over her mouth as Spock scanned the surrounding area. “Captain, the life signals are two miles east. We must hurry if we plan to make it in time.”

The three hurried along, side-stepping the debris of an obviously once great city as they placed their sleeves over their mouths to filter out the acrid smoke coming from the burning fires.

The location of the signal was a pile of rubble, and Spock scanned the building to be sure it was the correct one.

“The scans indicate the victims should be right under here,” he stated, setting his bag down as he got to work on pulling bricks and pieces of twisted and charred metal away.

Kirk began helping and they uncovered the first being, but upon checking their pulse, it was revealed that they had already passed on. They dug further and found the second one, a heavily pregnant female, but she too had perished.

Kirk began to suspect they were already too late, but then Spock uncovered the third, a young boy that still had a pulse. The Vulcan immediately pulled him from the rubble and lifted him into his arms as Kirk scanned around once more to ensure they weren’t missing anyone.

“Enterprise, four to beam up, and have Doctor McCoy meet us in the transport room.” Jim sighed as they were surrounded by a yellow light and instantly transported back to the Enterprise.

The blue shirted medical officer was there waiting, and immediately took note of the young boy in Spock’s arms as the other two walked off to write their reports on what happened.

“If I have even a remote chance of saving this kid’s life, we need to go. Now.” Bones grunted, taking the young boy from Spock and disappearing into the hall at a quick run towards the medbay.

Spock stood there, watching his bondmate disappear as his eyebrows furrowed in question. Were they too late?

A while later, the chief medical officer was finally pulling his surgical mask off and moving to wash his hands as a nurse kept an eye on the stranger’s vitals. Hopefully he’d wake up soon, and they could get some answers.

It was a few days before the boy woke up, and McCoy was by his side almost immediately as he began checking over his vitals and scanning to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Take it slow, kid. Don’t move too fast.” He spoke, surprisingly gentle.

The boy frowned as he opened his mouth before closing it.

“What’s your name?" Bones questioned, watching him with his arms crossed over his chest.

“H-Harec, sir..” he whispered, nervously scratching at one of the bandages on his light blue skin as he blinked quietly. “I..I want to go home!”

The doctor blinked, before staring at the boy silently as he tried to work out a way to tell him gently what had happened...


	2. Part Two

“Harec..” The man began, his arms crossed over his chest as he pursed his lips. The way the boy stared at him was making him anxious, and he did not appreciate it.

“Mister, when can I go home?” Harec whispered weakly, before coughing and wincing as a hand went to press against the dull pain in his chest.

“Don’t move around too much.”

Harec seemed to ignore his instructions, and sat up quickly, which caused him to cry out and immediately hunch over. His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, and Bones rolled his eyes marginally.

The door to the med bay whooshed open, and Spock walked in silently and stood nearby so he wouldn’t intrude on the Doctor and his patient.

“Doctor, the captain has asked that I ask the boy some questions,” the Vulcan began, before falling silent as Bones immediately turned and began shooing him out.

“The damn kid just woke up, tell the captain it can wait.”

“But, Leonard-”

“No 'buts'! OUT!”

With that, he pressed a quick kiss to his knuckles and practically shoved him into the hall before stepping back and moving to his patient as the doors slid shut behind him.

“Who- Who was that?” Harec questioned slowly, not exactly knowing if he wanted to hear the answer.

“His name is Spock, and he is the first officer,” He explained, before falling silent as he scratched the back of his neck.

“Where is Mama? And Papa?”

“Uhm...” He began, before cursing quietly as he lowered his gaze. “Kid, there’s really no easy way to say this, but...they didn’t make it. I’m sorry.”

Almost immediately, tears welled in the boy’s eyes and his entire body hunched and curled in on itself as though trying to hide from the pain that began to consume him.

Watching this kid break like this, Bones found himself on the brink of walking away to give him privacy. After a moment, however, he decided to sit on the edge of the bed and wrap an arm around his shoulder carefully.

“Kid...Harec. Take deep breaths. You can’t put too much stress on your body,” he murmured quietly.

The boy had begun letting out full on sobs, latching onto the Doctor with his scraped and bruised hands as he hiccuped and winced.

“I..”

“No, Harec, focus on breathing,” Leonard interrupted, pulling the kid up so he could stare into his eyes. “Do it with me...in for five, hold for five, out for five,” he spoke gently.

Harec tried to follow instructions, and eventually began quieting down as he buried his face in the doctor’s shoulder.

In response, both arms went around his small frame and tightened just a bit.

“I..I want to go home.”

“I know, kid. I know...and I’m sorry.”

Bones gave an inward sigh, laying the boy back on his bed as he stood up. “Get some rest. Your injuries need to heal.”

Harec stared at him, nodding slightly as he curled up.

The doctor began walking away, but paused when he heard the small boy’s voice ring out from the bed.

“Doctor McCoy, sir?”

“Just call me Bones.”

“..thank you, Bones.”

His eyebrows furrowed, and he looked over his shoulder. “Thank you? For what...?”

“For... For saving my life.”

His heart skipped a beat at the simple words of the young child, someone who had seen such horrors, and a small smile played at his lips.

“You’re welcome, Harec.”

With that, Bones walked away to busy himself with doing paperwork, and listened to the soft breathing of the child as he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for making it this far, and not giving up on me


	3. Part 3

The roaring was unbearable, and the young boy couldn’t comprehend what was happening. He stumbled along the rubble filled street, tears mixing with dirt and streaking paths down his face as he screamed for his parents.

A loud boom sounded, as the prince looked up to watch the large ship approach as he choked back sobs. Harec somehow knew that the guns were pointed at him, and he began screaming as the sounds of gunshots filled the air...

Harec sat bolt upright with a scream, sweat beading on his pale blue forehead as the nearby machine beeped rapidly with his heartbeat going at almost 120 beats per minute. 

Bones looked up from his work, immediately walking over to the panicking boy as he gently gripped his shoulders to steady him. “Harec, hey..focus..” 

The boy struggled, his frightened eyes screwed shut as he screamed again before starting to hyperventilate. “..N-No!! No! Don’t touch me!!”

The medical officer gave a wary glance at his increasing heart rate, and decided to sit down on the edge of the bed, a mere echo of earlier and pull the kid into a tight, almost fatherly hug.

“There’s no one here that’s gonna harm you..you’re safe..take deep breaths..”

Harec choked on his sobs, his small hands almost immediately curling into the doctor’s shirt as he buried his face in his chest. As the minutes dragged on, he finally managed to calm down and whimper quietly as he inhaled shakily.

The beeping slowed, and the doctor’s calloused hands moved to subconsciously run against the back of the boy’s head. “You’re okay...you’re safe...” he told him quietly, before leaning back so he could study him.

“I..I’m sorry, Doctor Bones...” the child whispered, before curling up at his side as he tightened his grip on him. 

“Hey, I told you to call me Bones, kid..now, lay down and try to relax..” he moved to stand, but was stopped by Harec protesting and holding onto him tightly.

“Don’t leave me...” he stared up at him, blinking away a fresh round of tears as he wiped at his nose. “Or..Or at least take me with you..I don’t wanna be here alone..” Harec whined, before pouting when the doctor gently pried his hands off of his shirt and laid him back down in bed.

“As your doctor, I can’t let you get out of bed with your injuries..give it a few days, and I’ll plan something for you..alright?” Once again, the doctor had lost his usual gruffness, and stared at the kid with a paternal look in his dark gaze as the pale boy nodded.

“O-Okay..okay..” Harec’s trembling voice whispered, before he sat up again and rubbed his eyes. “I’m hungry, Bones..” as if on cue, his stomach rumbles and the chief medical officer nearly cracks a grin.

“I guess it’s time for lunch..you’re probably starving.”

The boy’s eyes light up as Bones glances around to double check that there was nothing to attend to as he gave Harec a pointed look. 

“Keep your ass in bed, I’ll go get you something to eat.” He stated sternly, before walking out of the med bay without another word.

Harec pursed his lips, watching as the doors slid shut behind the man and then waited an extra few minutes before carefully sliding off of his bed and pulling out whatever tubes and wires were attached to him.

He stumbled slightly, wincing at the pressure in his lower abdomen before slowly standing up straight as he looked around the room curiously. His nimble fingers run along the wall curiously, tugging open random drawers to peek inside curiously.

His lavender coloured eyes gleam mischievously as he grabs a weird looking device out of one of the drawers.

“Woah..”

The boy giggled, making laser noises as he waves the hypo spray around excitedly. He was so wrapped up in his little game, that he didn’t hear the med bay doors open or the doctor entering.

“What in the name of all that is holy are you doing, kid?! That’s dangerous!!” 

Bones sets the small tray of food down, rushing to him and grabbing the hypo spray from his hand as he sets it back in the drawer and slams it shut.

“I told you to stay in bed!!” He continued, picking him up and carrying him over to the bed and roughly setting him back down.

“Did your parents not teach you to listen to your elders?!”

“B-Bones..I’m..”

“Stop right there..do you know what could have happened if the hypo spray ended up somewhere it shouldn’t be?!”

As Bones continued on his rant, Harec sat there on the bed quietly with his hands clasped in his lap tightly. 

Seconds later, he feels the stinging in his eyes and lowers his gaze as tears began slipping down his cheeks. 

“I’m..I’m..I’m sorry..I only wanted to..to play..” he whimpered weakly.

When he noticed the boy starting to cry, Bones fell quiet and watched him before turning away with a sigh and moving back to the food tray as he picked it up.

“I’m sorry..I..” he began, before falling silent when he realized that he didn’t exactly have a reason for going off on the poor kid.

“Here, I don’t..exactly know what you like to eat, so I got you some random stuff..a few snacks that my daughter likes..maybe you’ll uh..maybe you’ll like them too..” he sets the tray next to the quietly sniffing boy, and takes a few steps away.

As Harec began eating quietly, the doctor moves to the other side of the med bay, out of the kid’s sight and out of earshot as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

God, this was shaping up to be one hell of a ride..

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, thanks for getting this far and not giving up on me.  
> My tumblr is optimus-fin3.tumblr.com  
> \--  
> AO3 user thefandombeckons is this fic's lovely beta. They're also currently writing this section of the notes. <3 ;D


End file.
